Part 10/14:
Human Psychology: Rationalization, Belief, and Resistance to Change
A significant portion of the dialogue is dedicated to understanding human cognition. Farrell discusses Thomas Kuhn’s philosophy of science, highlighting how scientists often rationalize anomalies to preserve their paradigms, akin to cult behavior. This tendency helps explain systemic refusal to acknowledge or halt unethical projects like MK Ultra, even when evidence surfaced.
He recounts classic psychological experiments—such as Festinger’s prophecy failure—which demonstrate how humans rationalize disconfirmed beliefs, often doubling down on their original convictions. Farrell asserts that this same psychology underpins cults, conspiracy theories, and scientific dogmas alike.